Joshua fast but can’t bet against Fury – Tyson

Boxing legend Mike Tyson has declared that he will always side with Tyson Fury in a heavyweight showdown against Anthony Joshua, insisting his affection for the Gypsy King makes it impossible for him to back the Nigerian-British star regardless of what either man produces in the ring, PidomNigeria Sports Extra reports.

Tyson made the remarks to Ring Magazine as both Joshua and Fury completed their respective final warm-up fights ahead of their long-awaited domestic showdown, with promoter Eddie Hearn confirming contracts for the bout have already been signed.

“If Tyson comes in right and avoids those punches, it’s going to be interesting. Joshua’s a fast puncher. I love Tyson Fury. That’s why I can never go against him,” Tyson said.

Joshua came through his assignment in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but not without alarm, being floored twice inside the opening 20 seconds of the first round by previously unbeaten Albanian Kristian Prenga, who entered the ring with a perfect record of 20 knockout victories from 20 fights.

The 36-year-old showed his class by recovering to stop Prenga in the second round, improving his record to 30 wins from 34 fights with 27 knockdowns.

The performance, including the two early knockdowns, will nonetheless give Fury’s camp encouragement.

Fury himself faced considerably less drama in Thailand, easing to a seventh-round stoppage of 46-year-old Polish veteran Mariusz Wach in an untelevised contest.

Joshua dedicated his victory to the memory of two close friends and members of his team, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, who were killed in a car crash in Nigeria last December.

“It is more than punch power. That was spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina, that was the families. It hurts to even talk about it. It has been tough. They are my brothers,” he said in the ring.

Hearn said a venue for the Joshua-Fury bout was yet to be finalised, with Wembley Stadium among the options being considered alongside the possibility of staging the fight in the United States.